Dial and cylinder knitting-machine



G. STIBBE.

DIAL AND CYLINDER KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLLCATION F|LED N0v|9.19|9.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

TNA'

G. SIIBBE.

DIAL ND CYLINDER KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I9. 1919.

l. Patented Aug. 23, 1921.l

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

InZ/eW/Z'O?" 4% ggf/7 fw GQDFREY STIBBE, F

srATjEs PATENT erica.

LEICESTER, ENGLAND.

DIAL AND CYLINDER KNITTIN'GMACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Application tiled November 19, 1919. 4Seriallli'o.'839,109.

land, have invented certainA new and useful- Improvements in or Relating to Dial `and `Cylinder Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines and concerns machines having two sets of needles and two` or more feeders.

This invention has for its object the provision of a machine for makin the knitted fabric described in my United tates patent application Serial No. 308,916 which fabric consists of two independently knitted webs or walls one overlying the other, and united at intervals by tying or binding loops of a yarn which is additional to the yarns of which said webs are formed,` This fabric may also have combined with .it a rib fabric said fabrics being continuous, and further a restraining yarn may be. incorporated with the fabric between its walls.

The present invention consists 0f a cirknit independently of each other and produce individual webs, and means to feed in an additional arn so that it becomes incorporated with t e loops of the two independentl knitted webs. and ties them together.

T e additional yarn is fed in at a suitable point so that it is taken by all the dial needles and drawn around the stems of the cylinder needles above the old loops thereonand below the latches. During the subsequent operation the binding yarn' is knocked over with the old loops on the cylin der needles and is also knocked over with the loops of the dial needles so that it becomes incorporated with the loops of the two independently knitted webs -and ties them together without however appearing on the face of either `web or having any detrimental effect thereon.

In the method just described, the binding yarn is laid n the needles of each set between the ol loops and the hook but the needle hooks do not engage said yarn to draw loops of same the bindingyarn being simply knocked over with the old loops.

The result` of this is that they binding yarn is not knitted into either web, that is to say it is not formed into stitches or loops but merely -passes around the vknit loops of the webs.

The machine is provided at appropriate feeders with needle actuating cams which are adjustable so that the needles can be caused to take yarn or miss it as required for a purpose hereinafter described.

In particularly describing the inventionreference will be made to the accompanying drawing wherein, by way of example, an embodiment is shown as applied to a circular knitting machine having eight feeders.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a development or strai htened elevation showing a succession o three feeders.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical plan illustrating the knitting operation at the different feeders around the machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the ad'ustable dial ca m.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of t e adjustable cylinder cam.`

Fig. 5, is a da ammatical View, representing in plan t e double fabric the machine 1s designed and arranged to roduce,

Fig. 6, is a perspective view or eva-tion of said fabric.

Figs. 5 and 6 'represent the fabric in a magnified and somewhat stretched form to clearl illustrate the loop formation.

Re errin to Fi s. 5 and 6, 'the two independent. p ain fa rics are represented by the loops a, and b, the fabric a, being that which is produced for example on the cylinder needles of the machine while the fabric b, is the one produced for example on the dial needles. lThe binding yarn, which is additional to the fabrics a and b, is represented at c. 'Ihe restraining yarn is shown at d, this being a straight non-knitted yarn which is laid in betweenthe two fabrics a. and I) and serves to prevent or limit the elasticity or stretch of the double fabric in a lateral direction. t l

Looking along Fig. 5,'from the left hand end the method of roducingthe fabric will be readily followed), the part e showin" the independent fabrics a and b disposed lback 'of the fa ric h,

f bination of a rib fabric with the double fabric.

In thefabric illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, it will be seen that the walls a and are quite independently formed and are united by the yarn c which is incorporated with said walls without being made into stitches and without appearing upon the outer face of either of the webs a, b.

The circular knitting machine forming the subject of the present invention and designed for producing the" double fabric just described is equipped with cylinder needles 1 (Fig. `1l and dial needles 2 these being of the latch type and .mounted )to slide in needle beds 1n the customary manner. .The

Y needles travel in the direction indicated by cated in vthe arrows in the drawing,'and in general construction and operation the machine may be as usual except as regards the provision made-according to this invention for producing fabric of the kind referred to.

The eigEht feeders of the machine are indiig. 2 at A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H,

. of which the feeders A, 'B and C are also to t e dial needle 2 whic shown in elevation in Fig. 1. The feeders and needle operatin cams are so arranged that at A, C, E, an G yarn is fed at 3 and knitted by the dial needles 2 only. The projection and retraction of the dialvneedles is represented by the dotted line in Fig. 2. At

the feeders B, l), F, and H, yarn 1s fed at d and knitted b the cylinder needles only. .Thus arranged t e machine will produce two independent plain tubular webs one overlyg' ing the other and disposed back to back as is already known. At each feeder B, D, F, H 'l provide an additional yarn feed 5 which sup lies a supplementar yarn 6 (Figp 1) although not receiving a hitting ern here are projected outward and receive the` supplementary 'arn 6 which as the dial needles are retracted is taken and heldy by the hooks of the dial needles and drawn around the stems of the cylinder needlw 1 which at this time are, as shown, raised to clearin position. As the ciylflinder needles move own to Vblock over over with said loops'.- Whereas at the feeders A, C, E, and G, the dial needles 2 receive a knitting yarn 3 and the cylinder needles 1 do not knit, the latter remain .below theV eirloops the ya'rn 6 is as aforesaid knocked dial needles as shown in Fig. land the` dial needles are projected in the usual way to clear their old loops and also the binding yarn 6 and here they take the knitting thread 3 and knock over said binding yarn with the old loops. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the

comlplete operation is that at 7 (feeders A, C, G,) the dial needles are projected to clear, at 8 they are retracted and take and knit the yarn 3 from feed 9, at 10 (feeders B, l), F and H) the dial needles are advanced but do not clear, at 5 the dial needles take the binding yarn 6, and at 11 the dial needles are retracted drawin the binding yarn around the stems of t e cylinder needles 1 before said cylinder needles take the yarn 4 and knit at the feed 12.

Obviously if a binding yarn 6 is fed to the dial needles 2 at each of the feeders B, D, F, H the two webs will be tied together byy said yarn at each course, but where in a machine arranged as described, the binding yarn is fed at a less numberr of the feeders the webs will be connected at a correspond# ingly less number of courses. This feature however admits of variation as it will be manifest that in a machinehavinga comparatively large number of feeders, such-as eight or more, the connection between the.

two independently knitted -webs formed by the course of binding yarn 6 may bewidely distributed if desired by su pl ing -said yarn to a lesser number of ee ers. For generalpurposes it is found best to suppl a binding yarn to each cylinder feeder, suc as B, D, and so on, so that said yarn is introduced into the fabric at each course. l

When in the production of the fabric re` ferred to, a restraining yarn is to beincorporated, this is introduced at a suitable point between the knitting of the dial course andthe knitting of the following cylinder course. For instance a restraining yarn 13 (Fig. 1) may be laid between the cylinder and dial needles 1 and 2 by a feed 14 ositioned between the feeders B and C an arranged so thatitlays its yarn between the needles 1 and 2' which yarnV is wrap .ed

around the cylinder until .atl the next cy inder feeder where at or' about the time when the cylinder needles are rising and the dial needles are moving outward, it is introduced and becomes incorporated into the fabric being covered by the intermediate lengths of the yarn 6` which` bind the two knitted webs together. It will be understood that the restraining yarn 13 is. not formed into loops or knitted but is simply laid in between the walls of the fabric and likewise between thecourses of binding yarn. -While it is preferableto introduce a restraining yarn such as 13 at every course, in which case feeds similar 'to 14 lare pro'- vided between the feeders D and E, F and `Gr, I-l and A tas shown in Fig. 2, such yarnv be caused to knit or not as desired. For instance at the feeders A, C, E, G, where during the knitting of the double fabric the dial needles only take the yarn 3, an adjustable up-throw cam such as 15 (Fig. 4)' may be tted. When occupying the low position, shown by dotted lines, the cam 15 allows the cylinder needles 1 to pass the said feeders at the lewest level shown in -Fig. 1 so that they miss the thread 3. in the high position shown by full lines the cam raises the cylinder needles at the said feeders so that the yarn 3 is taken by these needles as well as by the dial needles 2 and as they pass under the stitch cam 16 the yarn is knitted, the

ltwo sets of needles conjointly forming a rib stitch.

Similarly at the feeders B, D, F and H where during the knitting of the double fabric the cylinder needles only tak-e the yarn d, an adjustable out-throw cam such as 17 (F ig. 3) may be provided. This cam is mounted to 'turn on a pivot 18 and the withdrawing c a-m 19 is similarly mounted on a pivot 20 and is connected with the cam 17 by means of a link 2l so that when the out-throw cam is adjusted the cam. 19 will move in company with it. When the cams 17 and 19 are in the dotted line position the dial needles are not projected` far enough to clear and moreover they are, as alreadystated, withdrawn Vso that they do not take the yarn 4g. When however the cams 17 and 19 occupy the full line position the dial needles are projected to clear 'and also take the yarn 4 so that they coperate with the cylinder needles at these feeders. and produce ribbed fabric.

To change double fabric knitting to rib knitting and vice versa :the adjustable cams 15 and 17 may be moved automatically by any suitable arrangement of mechanism operable by or from the pattern mechanism of the machine, and suitable yarn feeding or trapping devices may be employed for or in connection with the binding yarn 6 and restraining yarn 13 so that the feeding of eitherpor both of these yarns may be'automatically stopped when rib fabric is being produced and in order that said yarn or yarns may be automatically re-introduced when chan e is made to double fabric knit-l ting. Suc yarn feeding or trapping devices may be operated by suitable connections by or vfrom the pattern mechanism,

To enable a selvage to be produced on the double fabric I 'may provide in the inachine hereinbefore described, means for automatically forming a clearing course. This clearing course may be made in the usual manner vim-by raising all the cylinder needles at a suitable point so that their latches are brought above the loops after which said needles areimmediately brought down thus clearing off the loops. For this purpose a needle raising and a needle lowering cam are used, for examplecams such as i 15 and 16, the needle raising cam being inovable to and away from its operative position by suitable automatic means. These clearing cams may be arranged between the feeders A and B or between any other similar pair of feeders such as C and D, E and F, or G and H. The above mentioned action of the cylinder needles proluces a clearing course in the fabric which may be cut through to leave a neat selvage edge.

What I claim then is 1 1. A circular knitting machine having two sets of needles, two or more feeders arranged so that at one or more feeders yarn is fed to the needles of one set only and at anothel` feeder or feeders yarn is fed to the needles vof the other set only whereby the two sets of needles knit independently of each other and produce individual webs, and means to feed in an additionalyarn so that it bez-cines passed around the bases of the loops of the lCO 2. A circular knitting machine having cylinder needles and dial needles, two or more feeders arranged so that at one or more feeders yarn is fed to the dial needles only and at another feeder or feeders yarn is fed to the cylinder needles only whereby the two sets of needles knit independently of each other and produce individual webs, and means to feed in an additional yarn in such a manner that it is taken by the ydial needles without being knitted and is vdrawn around the stems of the cylinder needles and is subsequentl knocked over in company with the old oops on the cylinder needles and also-with the old loops on the dial needles thereby becoming passed around the bases of the loops of the' individual webs wholly below the ex osed surfaces of said webs and running fiom one web to the otherto tie them together, substantially as described. l

3. A circular knitting machine having cylinder needles and dial needles, two or more feeders arranged so that at one or more feeders yarn is fed to the dial needles only and at another feeder or feeders yarn is fed to the cylinder needles only whereby the two sets of needles knit independently of each other and produce individual webs, means to y feed in an additional yarn so that it becomes passed around the bases ofthe loops of the individual webs wholly below the exposed surfaces of said webs and runs from one web to the other to tie them together,

and a supplementary yarn feeder arran d and at another feeder or feeders varn is fed j to the cylinder needles only w ereby the two sets of needles knit independently of each other and. produce individual webs, means to feed in an additional arn so that it becomes passed around the ases of the loops of the individual webs wholly belowV the exposed surfaces of said webs and runs from one web to the other to tie them together, adjustable needle actuating cams atq appropriate feeders, and means to automati cally adjust said cams so that the needles can be caused to take yarn or miss it as required for the purpose of chan 'ng froml knitting double fabric to knitting ribbed fabric, substantially as described. j

5. A circular knitting machine having cylinder needles and dial needles, yarn feeders arranged to feed yarn se arately to the twol sets of needles so that t ey knit independently of each other and produce individual webs, means to feed an additional yarn so thatfit becomes passed around the bases of the loops of the individual webs wholly'below the exposed surfaces of said webs and runs from one web to the other to tie them together, adjustable needleactuating cams at appropriate feeders comprising an out-throw cam to regulate the movement of the dial needles an an up-throw cam to regulate the movement of the cylinder needles, and means to automatically adjust said cams soy that the needlescan be caused to take yarn or miss it as required for the purpose of changing y from knitting double fabric to knitting ribbed fabric, substantially as described.

6. A circular knitting machine having cylinder needles and dial needles, yarn feeders arranged to feed yarn se arately to the two sets o needles so that t e'y knit independently of each other and produce individual webs, adjustable needle actuating cams at appropriate feeders comprising an out-throw cam to regulate the movement` of the dial needles and an up-throw cam to regulate the movement of the cylinder needles," means to automaticall adjust said cams so thatthe needles can be caused to .take yarn or miss it as required for the purpose of changing from knitting double fa ric to knitting ribbed fabric, means to feed an additional yarn yso that it becomes passed around the :,ssessi bases of the loops fof the individual webs wholly below the exposed surfaces of said' webs and runs from one web t'o the other to'.

tie them together, and means for automatically withholding said additional yarn when ribbed fabric is to be reduced and for reintroducin said additional yarn when double fabric is to beproduced, substantially as described.

7. A circular knitting machine having cylinder needles and dial needles, yarn feeders arranged to feed yarnv se aratel to the two sets of needles so that t ey kmt independently of each other and produce individual webs, adjustable needle actuating cams at appropriate feeders comprising an out-throw cam to regulate the movement of the dial needles and an up-throw'cam to regulate the movement of the cylinder needles, means to automatically adjust said Ycams Aso that the needles can be caused to take yarn or miss it as required for the pur ose of changing from knitting double fa ric to knitting ribbed fabric, means to feed an additional yarn so that it' becomes passed around the bases of the loops of' the individual webs wholly below the exposed surfaces of said webs and runs from one web to the other to tie them together, `a supplementary yarn feeder arranged to lay 'a restraining yarn between the dial and cylinder needles, and means for automatically withholding and withdrawing said additional and restraining yarns when ribbed -fabric is to be produced and for reintroducing and feeding said yarns when double fabric is to be produced, substantially as' described. 8. A circular knitting machine having cylinder needles and dial needles, .yarnfeeders, adjustable cams in the vicinit of said feeders to regulate the movement o the needles, means to automatically adjust vsaid cams so that they cause the cylinder needlesand dial needles to either take yarn sepa.-

rately and thereby knit independently of each other and produce individual webs,

or coperate with each other and thereb roduce ribbed fabric, means to feed an a ditional yarn so that it becomes passed around thebases of the loops of the individual webs wholly below the exposed surfaces of said webs and runs from one web to the other to tie themi together, means for withholding said additional yarn during the knitting of ribbed fabric, and means for automatically forming a cloearing course,

substantially as described. .Y 9. A 'circular knitting 'machine having cylinder needles anddial needles, yarn fee ers,.adjustable cams in the vicinity of said feeders to regulate the movement of the needles, ,means toy automatically adjust said cams so that they cause the cylinder needles t and dial needles to either take Ayarn separately and thereby knit independently of each other and produce individual webs, or coperate with each other and thereby produce ribbed fabric, means to feed an additional yarn` so' that it becomes passed around the bases of the loops of the indi- .vidual webs wholly below the exposed surfaces of said webs and runs from one web to the other to tie them together, means for` withholding said additional yarn during the knitting of ribbed fabric, a needle raising cam and a needle lowering cam adapted to operate the cylinder needles for forming a clearing course, and means forputtinggsaid cams into and out of operation automatically, substantially as described.

10. A circular multiple feeder knitting machine having cylinder needles and dial needles, cams for causing the cylinder needles and dial needles to take yarn and knit at different feeders whereby they produce independent webs, means for automatically adjusting said f' ms for causing said cylinder needles and dial needles to knit in cooperation at f :a same feeders whereby y they produce ribbed fabric, automatically controlled means for feedingduring `production of double fabric an additional yarn so that it becomes passed around the bases of the loops of the individual webs wholly below the exposed surfaces of said webs and runs from one web to the other to tie them together, said means withholding said yarn during the production of ribbed fabric, means for laying a supplementary yarn between the two sets of needles during the production of double fabric, and withdrawing said yarn during the production of ribbed fabrlc, cams for raising and lowering the cylinder needles' to form a clearing course, and means operating automatically for moving said raising and lowering cams to and from the operative position substantially as described.

In testimony .whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. GODFREY STIBBE. Witnesses: l

T. W. C. TAYLOR, GEORGE LESTER. 

